The Faking of Deaths
by Catgirlie
Summary: A rewritten version of the classic tragedy Pyramus and Thisbe, but with a bit of a twist... Oneshot.


**A/N: So I've never done something like this before, but I think I like it. I don't really know where this came from, apart from the fact that we're studying Shakespeare. Anyways, this is basically a rewritten version of Pyramus and Thisbe, but it's not quite the same as the actual version. You'll see where that comes in. I doubt I'll get many readers for this, but I'd really appreciate it if you drop a review!**

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"Pyramus," I whisper through the chink in the wall. It's morning, the usual time.

"Thisbe," he answers. "I love you."

"I love you too," I reply. We're going through the motions; saying what we say every day.

"Are you ready?" I ask. "Today's the day..."

A pause. "Yes. Yes. I am."

"Just remember," I say, "the mulberry bush at eleven."

"Always."

The morning passes quickly. In the afternoon, my mother tries to set me up with some other boy, any boy; any boy other than Pyramus.

"Thisbe, dear, why don't you go see that boy who lives two houses away? Bennett, I think his name was. Lovely boy... And his parents have quite a bit of money, too!"

"No, Mother," I brush her off, "I'm really not interested in him. He's a bit too pompous for my liking."

"Then how about that fine young man who we met at the market, dear? He said his name was Thomas... And the way he was looking at you, I'm sure he's already taken an interest!"

"Mother! The only person I'd ever be interested in is Pyramus, and that's the truth."

"But look at all these better, more _wealthy_ men who could very easily become a wonderful husband! Don't you realize how successful they could make you?"

"I'm just not interested."

But she isn't getting the hint. "Well, there was a lovely man at the festival last month who asked me if you were free the next time it came around... Quite handsome, he was! I can't place a name to his face, but he could make any girl swoon!"

"No, I really am _not_ interested in him. Besides, he resembles a toad's ass; hardly handsome if you ask me."

"Then how about the one who was selling apples? I've heard he's got quite the business going... Or maybe that striking boy who was chatting you up the other day—Henry, I think his name was? He would be a perfect match for you! Handsome, charming, witty, wealthy, intelligent..."

I sigh and listen to her babble. Why not? I doubt I'll be here by the time the festival comes around again anyways. "Fine, Mother, fine. You can set me up with whoever you'd like!" I snap, and she looks a bit shocked, but her expression settles into a satisfied, pleased one.

"Wonderful! I knew you'd come to your senses, my dear girl."

xxx

Before I know it, it's nightfall. Pulling my cloak out, as well as all of the berries from our stock and a small canteen, I sneak out of the house and head over to the meeting spot. I'm early.

I'm waiting when I spot a lioness not ten feet away, eating her kill. I start to back up, stepping on a twig by accident, and she turns to see me just standing there, stock-still. I can see a predatory look cross her face and she stalks towards me, slow as a turtle but I know that if she wants to, she'll go much, much faster. Faster than I can run, anyways.

Finally, my senses kick in and I drop my cloak and run for cover. I don't know why, but she doesn't chase after me—I guess whatever she's eating is enough for her.

From behind me, I can hear the sound of ripping fabric and the lioness's growls. I reach a nearby cave in safety and close my eyes. My heart is racing and I've broken into a cold sweat; my clothes have stuck to my skin, which is cold and clammy. I'm just glad that I'm not dead.

At least I don't need to use all of my berries now.

After a few moments, I start to squeeze the juice out of the berries, into the canteen. Bloodred juice stains my hands and my blouse, but I pay no attention to it as I make sure to get every last drop out of them. It doesn't take long to fill the small canteen, and when I finally emerge from the cave I see Pyramus. Right on time.

His clothes are soaked through with the red, sticky liquid and his bloodstained sword lies next to him, clearly pulled out of his side, although I can't really see the puncture wound. I feel tears well up in my eyes at the sight of it.

Now's the time to do my part. Tears making tracks down my cheeks, I pull out the canteen and dump the juice all over myself, making sure to pour it right over my heart, where it can spread so it looks convincing. I carefully take the sword and make a hole over the spot and, throwing it to the side, collapse to the ground and wait.

It seems like forever.

We're discovered at what must be dawn, because I can feel light seeping through my eyelids. No one thinks to check our pulses, which is good, because in that case we'd be discovered immediately. Our limp bodies are dragged onto what must be a wooden cart and we're driven away, probably to the morgue. I can hear agonized gasps, a sobbing woman—who is clearly either my or Pyramus's mother—and quiet sniffing from all around us as we drive through town. I don't dare to open my eyes, not even a crack—someone might see. A lot of people around here are awfully observant.

After what seems like an hour, we arrive at the morgue and are dragged to a room that smells of death. I'm trying not to gag at the stench as my eyes start to sting and whoever's carrying me has vomited on the area next to me. The smell of _that_ is almost worse than the scent of the room, but only because of its close proximity to me. But the truth is that nothing—_nothing_—can ever be worse than the awful smell of death.

I'm laid down on a cold table that doesn't seem to be very sturdy; it makes a strange creaking sound when I'm set down on it and I try not to cringe at the thought that it might collapse with me still on it.

The people who were carrying us leave the room, and everything is quiet and still. It's not long before our family comes.

Apparently we're right next to each other, because I can hear Pyramus's family sobbing and crying for him just as mine does the same.

"Oh, Thisbe," my mum cries, "we should've just let you do what you wanted! We shouldn't have kept you from him..."

Tears are dripping onto my face, and I feel awful for doing this to them. I never wanted to deceive them or make them hurt them like this, but I don't think I'd ever thought of the consequences before.

But if I just sat up and said, "It's okay, I'm not dead!" I think my parents would have the living daylights scared out of them. So I just lay there and try not to move a single muscle.

It's a while before they leave, but once they do, I breathe a sigh of relief.

The undertakers in our town don't bury the bodies. I don't know why, because that's what they're _supposed_ to do, but they just leave the bodies to rot in the room we're in now. It's disgusting, really. And probably why I never visited my grandparents' bodies after their makeshift "funeral."

I doubt they'll notice a couple of bodies missing.

Just to be safe, I wait a couple of minutes before rising from my spot and hopping off the flimsy table. I slowly go over to Pyramus and tap his shoulder twice, and he gets up and gives me a tentative smile.

"Ready to go?" he asks.

I beam back at him, and through all the berry juice and tears staining my face, I know I look happier than anyone else in the world, because today is the day that we're officially free.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"I love you, Thisbe."

"I love you too, Pyramus."

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**A/N: Happy ending, right? xD I hope you enjoyed it, even though it's pretty short. Tell me what you think with a review?**


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